Riko Kohara
{{short description|Japanese voice actress and singer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Riko Kohara
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name = 小原 莉子
| native_name_lang = ja
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|02|03}}
| birth_place = Gifu Prefecture, Japan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names = {{Nihongo|Rikopin|りこぴん}}
| occupation = {{Flatlist|
- Voice actress
- Guitarist
}}
| years_active = 2014–present
| agent =
| notable_works = {{unbulleted list|BanG Dream! as Rokka Asahi/Lock|Senran Kagura as Gekkō|Kandagawa Jet Girls as Misa Aoi}}
| height = 156cm
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| background =
| genre = {{Flatlist|
}}
| instrument = {{Flatlist|
- Guitar
- vocals
}}
| years_active = 2011–present
| label =
| associated_acts = Raise A Suilen
}}
| website = {{URL|object-co.jp/talent/riko_kohara/}}
}}
{{Nihongo|Riko Kohara|小原 莉子|Kohara Riko|born February 3, 1990}} is a Japanese voice actress and guitarist from Gifu Prefecture.{{cite web |title=小原莉子｜アニメキャラ・プロフィール・出演情報・最新情報まとめ |url=https://www.animatetimes.com/tag/details.php?id=6381 |website=animate Times |accessdate=26 June 2020}}
Career
Kohara's interest in voice acting began in high school; growing up, she was a fan of manga and anime like Naruto.{{cite interview|last=Kohara|first=Riko|subject-link=Riko Kohara|interviewer-last=Hasegawa|interviewer-first=Yukinobu|title=Interview with Riko Kohara|magazine=Rock and Read Girls|issue=2|date=November 30, 2019|language=Japanese}} She later moved to Tokyo to pursue a music career, and graduated from ESP College of Entertainment, a vocational school that specializes in electric guitar and basses.{{cite web |title=活躍するESP学園出身生 |url=https://www.esp.ac.jp/tokyo/debut-career/alumni/ |website=音楽・芸能と楽器の専門学校 ESPエンタテインメント東京 |accessdate=26 June 2020 |archive-date=23 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223170524/http://www.esp.ac.jp/tokyo/debut-career/alumni/ |url-status=dead }} According to a high school friend, Kohara switched from vocals to guitar when her guitarist band mate asked to switch their position. While she was in vocational school, she studied under BURNY's guitarist Masanori Kusakabe, who is also from Gifu Prefecture. Therefore, Kohara inherited Kusakabe's playing style.{{cite book |title=ANIME Bros.♯3 (TOKYO NEWS MOOK 770号) |date=23 January 2019 |pages=19, 35}}
In July 2011, Kohara became a member of The Sketchbook, a band based on a fictional group in the anime Sket Dance. She learned of the band hosting auditions while attending ESP College of Entertainment; although she had not played guitar in three months and was considering quitting, she passed her audition and won the guitarist position. Joined by Hiroshi Tada (vocal and bass) and Yuu Watanabe (drum), the three performed the opening, endings, and insert songs for the anime. The band disbanded in 2015 as the members wanted to focus on their own dreams.{{Cite web|title=Sket Dance-Inspired Band The Sketchbook to Break Up|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-02-02/sket-dance-inspired-band-the-sketchbook-to-break-up/.83949|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Anime News Network|language=en}}
In 2014, one year prior to The Sketchbook's disbandment, Kohara debuted as a voice actress with her first role as a vegetable-hater boy in Soreyuke! Anpanman.{{Cite web|title=The Sketchbook tweet|url=https://twitter.com/thesketchbook_/status/447946494000103425|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Twitter|language=en}}
In 2018, Kohara was recruited by Bushiroad president Takaaki Kidani to join the music franchise BanG Dream! after a fan sent a video of her performances to Kidani on social media. She joined the franchise's backup band The Third (Beta) as guitarist during its first live on March 25, 2018 at Shimokitazawa Garden.{{cite press release|url=https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000960.000014827.html|title=『THE THIRD(仮)1st ライブ』にて新情報解禁！|work=Bushiroad|publisher=PR Times|date=March 26, 2018|accessdate=May 28, 2020|language=Japanese|trans-title=New information has been released at "THE THIRD (TBD) 1st Live"!}} The band was renamed to Raise A Suilen at the second live on July 17, and its members received their own in-universe anime and game characters at the BanG Dream! 6th☆Live on December 7.{{cite news|last=Komatsu|first=Mikikazu|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2018/07/18/bangg-dream-franchises-3rd-girls-band-reveals-their-official-name-raise-a-suilen|title=BanG Dream! Franchise's 3rd Girls Band Reveals Their Official Name "RAISE A SUILEN"|publisher=Crunchyroll|date=July 18, 2018|accessdate=March 5, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/201812100028/|title=RAISE A SUILENのパワフルなライブが披露された「BanG Dream! 6th☆LIVE」DAY1レポート|work=Gamer|date=December 10, 2018|accessdate=June 28, 2020|language=Japanese|trans-title=RAISE A SUILEN's powerful live show "BanG Dream! 6th☆LIVE" DAY1 report}} Kohara's character Rokka Asahi shares various traits with her voice actress, such as moving from Gifu to Tokyo, while her birthday is July 17. Kohara used to perform with a Gibson Les Paul, but switched to Strandberg after joining RAS.{{Cite web|title=Riko Kohara's statement on Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/riko_kohara/status/1072783584098832384|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Twitter|language=en}}
Personal life
Filmography
=Television anime series=
- BanG Dream! as Rokka Asahi/Lock
- BanG Dream! 2nd Season (2019)
- BanG Dream! 3rd Season (2020)
- BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico: Ohmori (2020)
- BanG Dream! Episode of Roselia II: Song I am. (2021)
- BanG Dream! Film Live 2nd Stage (2021)
- BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico Fever! (2021)
- BanG Dream! Poppin'Dream! (2022)
- Caligula as Lily
- Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation as Riko{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-10-31/phantasy-star-online-2-anime-reveals-more-characters-cast-january-debut/.94867|title=Phantasy Star Online 2 Anime Reveals More Characters, Cast, January Debut|website=Anime News Network|date=October 31, 2015|access-date=February 22, 2022}}
- Idol Memories as Nanami Hoshi{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-07-08/happy-elements-reveals-original-anime-series-idol-memories/.104081|title=Happy Elements Reveals Original Anime Series Idol Memories|website=Anime News Network|date=July 8, 2016|access-date=February 22, 2022}}
- Sket Dance as Female Kid's Singer
- Soreyuke! Anpanman as Nekomi, Vegetable-hater boy
- Ice Kuritaro as Berry-chan
- 25-sai no Joshikōsei as Hasegawa
- Persona 5: The Animation as female character
- Senran Kagura Shinovi Master as Gekkō{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-09-10/new-senran-kagura-anime-returning-cast-listed/.136610|title=New Senran Kagura Anime's Returning Cast Listed|website=Anime News Network|date=September 10, 2018|access-date=February 22, 2022}}
- Gifu no Tate ka Yoko as Tatekayoko{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-04-03/gifu-no-tatekayoko-manga-about-life-in-central-japan-gets-tv-anime-shorts/.145349|title=Gifu no Tatekayoko Manga About Life in Central Japan Gets TV Anime Shorts|website=Anime News Network|date=April 3, 2019|access-date=February 22, 2022}}
- Kandagawa Jet Girls as Misa Aoi{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-08-01/kandagawa-jet-girls-anime-reveals-video-cast-october-premiere/.149589|title=Kandagawa Jet Girls Anime Reveals Video, Cast, October Premiere|website=Anime News Network|date=August 1, 2019|access-date=February 22, 2022}}
- The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me? as Miliyama
- Teppen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Laughing 'til You Cry as Mako Shirakabe{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-02-22/teppen-anime-reveals-3-more-cast-members/.182893|title=Teppen—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anime Reveals 3 More Cast Members|website=Anime News Network|date=February 22, 2022|access-date=February 22, 2022}}
= Video games =
- Art Code Summoner as Gustave Courbet{{Cite web|title=アートコードサマナーオフィシャルサイト|url=https://artcodesummoner.com/|access-date=2020-06-27|website=artcodesummoner.com|language=ja}}
- Azur Lane as USS Richmond (CL-9)
- BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! as Rokka Asahi/Lock
- Hoshizora Tetsudō to Shiro no Tabi as Hanae{{Cite web|title=星空鉄道とシロの旅公式サイト - サークルしらたまこ|url=http://shiratamaco.com/|access-date=2020-06-27|website=shiratamaco.com|language=ja}}
- Kandagawa Jet Girls as Misa Aoi{{cite web|title=キャラクター|url=https://kjg.marv.jp/character-machine/asakusa/|website=Kandagawa Jet Girls|publisher=Marvelous|access-date=June 11, 2021|language=ja}}
- Shinobi Master Senran Kagura: New Link as Gekkō
- Wonder Gravity as Pycno
- Crash Fever as Noa
- Arknights as Mulberry
- Counter:Side as Lin Xien
- Ys X: Nordics as Momina Evelies{{Cite web|last=Romano|first=Sal|date=July 27, 2023|title=Ys X: Nordics details Momina, Romes, Joel, Ashley, Ulval, Rune Stones, fishing, and ship upgrades|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2023/07/ys-x-nordics-details-momina-romes-joel-ashley-ulval-rune-stones-fishing-and-ship-upgrades|website=Gematsu|access-date=July 28, 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{anime News Network|people|107919}}
{{BanG Dream}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kohara, Riko}}
Category:Voice actresses from Gifu Prefecture
Category:Singers from Gifu Prefecture
Category:Japanese video game actresses
Category:Raise A Suilen members